DSM investing in new polymer facility

Pune: Euro Dutch giant DSM will invest between $50 million and $100 million in setting up a greenfield facility to manufacture a new polymer invented by its division DSM Engineering Plastics.

The polymerisation plant that will be located either in Europe or China will go into commercial production by the second half of next year, Mr Jan Waninge, Director, Marketing and Sales, Asia Pacific, DSM Engineering Plastics, said.

The new material, currently identified as Polyamide 4T, will be branded on commercial launch.

With properties that include lead free soldering, increased resistance to temperatures over 250 degrees Celsius and the capability of miniaturisation, it has applications in the automotive, cell phone and computer industries, he added.

Stanyl Diablo

Mr Waninge also announced the introduction of the next generation of high performance material on the company’s existing platform of Stanyl plastics.

DSM Engineering Plastics is a division of the $10.5-billion DSM group. The company is setting up a new 20,000 tonne compounding facility at Ranjangaon near Pune that is progressing as per schedule, and is expected to go on stream in the first half of 2008.